Fence



(No Model.) Y 2 Sheets-8heet 1. T. PHELPS.

FENCE.

Patented Apr. 13. 1897.

a m WWW (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 12.

T. A. PHELPS.

FENGE.

No. 580,553. Patented Apr. 13, 1897.

W SSZS THEODORE A. PHELPS, OF CLAIBORNE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-THIRDSTO G. W. SNARE AND JASPER E. GARY, OF PI-IARISBURG, OHIO.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,553, dated April13, 1897. Application filed May 6, 1896. Serial No. 590,471. (No model.)

To (.tZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, THEODORE A. PHELPS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Claiborne, in the county of Union and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Fence, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to fences which embody in their constructionlongitudinal wires and slats or pickets, and has for its object toimprove the general arrangement of the parts and to devise a novelfence-post and anchoring means therefor whereby the fence can be quicklyset up and will be stable and withstand the action of storms andclimatic changes.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the inventionreference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing fromthe principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to afull disclosure of i the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of afence constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 shows thefence in course of construction and the manner of distributing the slatsor pickets along the line-wires. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing themanner of tightening or drawing the separated ends of the fencewirestogether. Fig. at is a detail view of a metallic post. Fig. 5isasectional detail showing the means for attaching an anchoringplate tothe metal post. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the parts shownin Fig. 5.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in the several views of the accompanyingdrawings by the same reference-characters. The fence-posts l are setalong the prescribed line of fencing and may be either metal or wood. Ifthe posts are of wood, the fence or line wires 2 are secured thereto bystaples or like fastenings, but when the posts are of metal theline-wires will pass loosely through openings formed therein at requireddistances apart. The terminal fence-posts are braced at their upper endsfrom the adjacent posts bylongitudinal bars 3, and diagonally-disposedbrace-wires 4 connect the lower ends of the terminal posts with theupper ends of the adjacent posts, against which the inner ends of thelongitudinal bars 3 bear.

The slats or pickets 5 may be of metal or wood and have openings intheir length corresponding in number and position with the fence-wiresand are strung upon the latter.

As shown in Fig. 2, a number of slats or pickets are strung upon theline-wires and rest upon a hand-barrow 6 and are moved along theline-wires by means of the handbarrow, a sufficient number of the slatsor pickets being dropped at each panel, according to the distancebetween the fence-posts and the number of pickets required for eachpanel. After the slats or pickets have been properly distributed thefence-wires are applied to the posts in the usual way. At requiredintervals in the length of the fence the line-wires are parted and shortlengths of chain '7 are applied to the separated ends, one of the chainshaving a hook 8, to be engaged with the links of the other chain whenthe ends of the wires are drawn together.

The corresponding parts of a fence-wire are drawn together by means ofthe tool shown, which consists of a lever 9, having a hooked end 10, anda long book 11, having pivotal connection with the lever a shortdistance from its hook 10. By moving the lever toward the hook 11 thehooked ends of the parts 9 and 11 are separated, and these ends areengaged with the links at the ends of the parts of the fence-wire to becoupled, and upon moving the long arm of the lever 9 away from the-hook11 the parts of the fence-wire will be drawn together when the hook 8 ise11- gaged with a link of the opposite chain, thereby coupling the partsand securing them in the adjusted position.

If the parts of the fence-wire are not sufficiently taut, a repetitionof the operation just described will serve to bring the separated endsclose together, and this operation may be repeated until the wire issubjected to the requisite tension, it being remembered that the hook 8will retain the parts while applying the tool or stretcher so as tosecure a fresh grip. This operation is repeated for each wire of theseries.

The metal fence-post 12 is of tapering form, and its lower end is givena quarter-twist to cause it to come at right angles to the plane of thepost, whereby it will present an extended surface against the ground toprevent lateral displacement of the fence-post. A plate 13, having aslotor opening 14, is secured to the fence-post 12 by means of a link 15,which encircles the post and has an end portion passing through the slot14, a short wire or key 16 passing through the projecting end of thelink, so as to retain the plate 13 in place. A pin 17 passestransversely through an opening in the fence-post and prevents upwardmovement of the link 15. This plate 13 is adapted to supplement theaction of the lower twisted end of the post and comes close to thesurface of the ground and is intended to prevent lateral movement of thepost.

After the fence is erected and the linewires are subjected to tensionthe slats or pickets are properly spaced between the fenceposts and aresecured in place by short binding-wires 18, the latter being applied tothe top and bottom fence-wires and secured thereto upon opposite sidesof the slats or pickets by having their terminal portions coiled aroundthe said fence-wires.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is Incombination, a metallic fence-post of tapering form, a closed link ofoblong form slipped upon the post and having a projecting end portion,an anchoring-plate having a slot to receive the projecting end portionof the link, a key passing through the projecting end of the linkexterior to the anchoringplate to secure the latter in place and causethe link to bind against the opposite edge of the post, and a pinpassing transversely through an opening in the post above the link tohold the latter in place, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE A. PHELPS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. SNARE, JASPER E. CARY.

